Last Words of a Hero
by Frost-Dragon
Summary: We all want to be remembered...


You don't know who I am. Not many people did. I'd like to tell you, if you'll listen. My name is Ryu.

I'm one of the last surviving members of a long forgotten race of dragons known as the Brood. My kin were slaughtered by the will of someone who believed herself to be a Goddess. Her name was Myria.

Long ago, Myria gave power to four beings known as Guardians, better known to us as the Dragon Slayers. On her command, the four Guardians hunted the brood. Killed all they could find.

I often wonder how I survived. I was told that I was found as a hatchling. A young Whelp sealed inside an egg of Crysm. When the Crysm was destroyed, I somehow revived. On instinct, I killed the workers in the mine until one of them knocked me unconscious. Thankfully, I have no memory of that. However, my first memories are of my adopted family. Rei and Teepo.

My brothers. Rei and Teepo... They took me in and treated me like one of the family. They taught me how to survive in this world. I could never thank them enough for everything they did. But, as with most things in my life, it was not to last... Trying to do a good deed for our town, we angered the wrong people. They sent two of their thugs to our home and burnt it to the ground. And then they destroyed out family.

I still remember when I first awoke after the beating we took. I was in the care of a woodsman named Bunyan. When he told me that there was no sign of Rei or Teepo, I didn't know what to do. When I was able to recover, I set off on a journey to find my family.

My travels brought me across this world of ours. From the slums of Sin City to the beautiful castle of Wyndia. Even across the Outer Sea. During the time I searched for my brothers, I met the rest of my chosen family. The first person I met on my journey was Princess Nina.

I owe so much to her. Nina stayed by me during the hardest times in my life. She gave me hope when all I could see was despair. She always did believe in me. Always told me that she knew I wasn't a "Bad dragon." All these years later, and the thought of your smile warms my heart and gives me the courage to go on.

And then there was Momo. A brilliant engineer and the new director of the Plant where they made Crysm enhanced crops. During our first journey, Momo looked after Nina and me as if we were her younger siblings. When we met again, it was almost seven years later, and she was the same as ever. Still up to her old experiments, but as soon as she was needed, she was right there. If it hadn't been for you, we never would have made it all the way to Caer Xhan.

The next person to join our rag tag little band was Pecoros. We all called his Peco for short. Though I guess that wasn't your true name, was it, Yggdrasil? I miss the times when I used to watch you and honey play around the camp fire…

Garland… I wish I had known his full name while he was still alive. We all knew him as Garr. A warrior who followed his heart. At one time, he had been one of Myria's Guardians, but doubts had crept into his heart. After he fought with me at Angel Tower, something changed in him forever. He wanted to know why he was ordered to kill my kind so long ago. And he wanted to make up for what he had done. If you can hear me from where ever you are, I know my ancestors have forgiven you for what you did. They know you tried your best to make up for your past. You can rest easy, my friend.

I can remember the day so clearly, it's like it had happened just yesterday. After Garr had found me back in the Dauna Mines, we fought a tiger on Ogre Road. Who would have known that the tiger would turn out to be Rei? After so many years, I was finally reunited with one of my brothers. Tears still stream down my face when I think about it. My family was almost complete again. When Garr and I went into Cedar Woods and I explored the burnt remains of our old house, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you standing there, Rei. I wish our reunion could have lasted longer…

At the end of our journey, we came to an abandoned city called Caer Xhan. No. Abandoned suggests that the people living there left. I don't believe so. What people had lived there, I believe died long ago. What was left of them became buried beneath the desert. It was in this place that we found the entrance to Myria Station. A city all its own far above the ground. We traveled through the station, fighting foes that had been dead and gone for years. Was that your way of preparing us for the surprise to come, Myria?

Deep in the station, in a paradise called Eden, we found someone we had almost given up hope of finding. Rei and I had found our brother. Teepo.

It should have been a joyous reunion. A lifetime of searching, and our brother was standing in front of us. And he was truly my brother, for Teepo was also a member of the Brood. Like me, he had the power to transform into powerful dragons. He had the power that Myria feared. And that was why he was here. Myria had warped Teepo's way of thinking until he truly believed that the powers we shared were evil. That we would destroy the world. Teepo was forced to give me a choice. Give up what made me myself. Give up being who I was and become a prisoner of Myria…or death. In the end, I was forced to take the life of my brother. Teepo… I'll never forget your dieing words. You said to us, "I didn't ask to be Brood. I didn't ask for the power. Just wanted to be with...you Rei and you Ryu...my family…"

I had no choice. I gave up my powers and my freedom just as you gave up your life, my brother. Know that I have never forgotten. I have never let myself forget. And I have spent the rest of my life living as you lived yours until your last day. But soon, my brother, we will be reunited. How long has it been since that fateful day? How much time has passed? When I join you, will our brother be there? We'll be able to be a family again. All of us. Teepo, Rei, Nina… Momo…Garr…Peco…

To whoever reads this, you now know my story. Please, don't let it be forgotten …

A withered hand slowly set a feathered quill down on the soft grass. An old man sat on the ground, leaning against the trunk of a tree. His clear blue eyes slowly closed. It was all he could do to keep them open. His head slowly fell to rest on his chest. The old man's breath began to grow softer until his chest grew still. Now the only thing that moved was his once blue hair, now white from age, gently blowing in the breeze.


End file.
